MIAMI – A South Florida woman convicted earlier this year of scamming a senior citizen out of thousands of dollars was sentenced Monday to five years in prison.
Local 10 News learned in court Monday that Lisa Miller sold her condominium for a $200,000 profit and never paid back the victim, Linda Bemis.
Miller asked for probation, but Miami-Dade County Judge Zachary James took that information into account when he sentenced her to five years in prison.
Back in May, Local 10 News’ Rosh Lowe spoke with Miller as she was handcuffed and placed in the back of a police car.
She denied any wrongdoing, but police said Miller, of Miami, swindled Bemis, 74, out of $60,000.
Miller was found guilty last month. Bemis said the scammer left her homeless.
On Monday, Bemis spoke at the sentencing hearing, saying she continues to face hardships due to the scam.
“I have a heart condition and it’s been very, very difficult trying to get to doctor’s appointments, the grocery store,” she said. “I have no family and that makes it particularly hard.”
According to police, it all started as a Facebook romance scam. Bemis thought she met a handsome military man with a striking smile known as “Mr. Bravo.”
According to the arrest warrant, “Bravo kept telling her that he was stuck in Afghanistan...he needed fifty thousand dollars to get his luggage trunk through customs. The victim was convinced by Bravo to sell her share in her home to raise the $50,000.”
In total, police said $60,000 was sent, which they say landed in Miller’s bank account.
Miller’s defense team asked for a retrial Monday, which the judge denied.
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